Socket-wrench.



Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

J firifihzer MORTIMER J. FAIRCHILD, OF ELG-IN, ILLINOIS.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 21, 1919.

' Application filedJfune 19, 1918 Serial No. 240,749.

To all whom it may concern:

c it known that I, MORTIMER J. FAIR- CHILD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented. certain -new and useful Improvements in Socket- Wrenches, of whichthe following is a specification, I

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the type commonly designated as socket wrenches or those wherein is embodied an actuating head designed for cooperation-with a socket member properly shaped for application to the work.

It isthe main and primary object of the present invention to improve the general I construction of socket wrenches whereby to render them capable of greater range of.

' use in restricted-localities,.and to simplify the same as far as possible in order to re-,

duce wear in the workingparts to a minimum and thereby prolong the life of the wrench.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wrench of the class described the parts of which are so organized and related as to be easily and quickly assembled,

' as well as taken apart when necessity for inspection or repair may arise, and which will provide a highly compact structure to economize in space in packing and shipment.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the inventlon consisting substantially in the novel construction, com

. bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be un clerstood, however, that the present ex;

emplification' of the invention is but one embodiment thereof, and the same, therefore, is to be taken only in an illustrative,

and not'in a restrictive, sense.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a Qside elevation of a socket wrench constructed in accordance with the present invention'and illustrated as applied to a socket, as under certain conditions of use y I Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

3 is also a side elevation of the heremdescribed wrench illustrating another- .used;

' versely-arranged pawls 20.v The pawls 20 are slidably mounted in the passages Hand,

condition under which the same may be Fig. 4 is a sectional view, as on the line H, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is also a sectional view, as on the line 55, Fig. 2.

- Referring now in detail to the accompany.

ing drawings, the numeral 10 designates the shank of the hereindescribed wrench. This is shaped for convenient application of the same to the .hand of the user, and, therefore, tapers slightly from one' end toward the other. At the latter point-,the end of the shank 10 is enlarged to provide a-pair of parallel supporting arms.11, said arms being separated inorder to form a notch 12 therebetween. The arms 11 are provided with outwardly-opening chambers 13 the inner ends of which communicate with contracted passages 14 while the outer ends of said chambers 13 are screw-threaded, as-at 15,- for a purpose to be {presently described. -Arrangedwithin theinotch 12 is an engaging head which includes an elongated shank 16, which is cylindrical in cross-section,-the ends of said shank 16 terminating in enlarged polygonal actuating plugs 17. These plugs are reversely tapered with respect to each other and are designed to be inserted into the socket with which the wrench is employed. -By reason of the reverse tapering of the plugs 17 they may be alternativel used, in accordance with the direction 0 rotation to be imparted to the socket, as will later appear. At a point midway between the plugs-17 the shank 16 is enlarged toform an annular flange 18, and said flange is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 19 adapted to be engag'edby the inner ends of oppositely-disposed reeach is provided with an annular flange 21 of substantially the same diameterv as the chambers 13. The pawls 20 are of sufiicient length to extend through said chambers 13, and their outer extremlties are received by perforated-closure plugs 22 having screwthreaded engagement with the threads 15 of the chambers 13. Each of the plugs 22-is provided, at-its outer face, with grooves or.

kerfs 23 -for the reception of a suitable instrument, such asa screw driver, for rotating the plugs when introducing the same to and springs serve to force the pawls 20 inwardly and to maintain the inner ends thereof in engagement with the ratchet teeth 19 of the- To effect such engagement beflange 18.

I tween the pawls 20 and said teeth 19 each of the pawls has, at its'innerend, a tooth providedwith an abrupt face 26 and an inclined face 27. The abrupt face 26 effects a locking engagement between each pawl and the teeth 19, thus causing the flange 18 'to move with the pawls 20, while the-inclined faces 27 of said pawls will permit the latter to ride over the teeth 19 to free the same from the locking engagement referred to.

Surrounding the engaging head is a pa1r I of. supporting blocks 28. The opposing faces of said supporting blocks 28 are provided with semi-circular notches 29 to permit the blocks 28 snugly fitting about and surrounding the cylindrical shank 16, and

each of said blocks 28 is also provided with an interior semi-circular groove 30' for receiving the ratcheted flange 18 when the blocks are assembled upon the engaging-head. It

will also be observed that the blocks 28 are likewise provided I with openings 31 ar-' ranged in alinement with the passages 14, said openings 31 receiving the inner ends of the pawls 30 and thus permitting the latter to engage the teeth 19.- By reason 'ofthis construction it will be seen that the pawls 20 not only engage the ratcheted flange 18, but by. reason of the inner ends of the pawls passing through the openings 31 the pawls form plvots or trunnions on which-the supporting blocks 28 may be rotated; This peris an elongated slot 32 in which is fitted a;

The adjacent ends mits the engaging head to be reversed, and

each of the actuating plugs 17 may thus be presented to the socket with which the wrench is employed. This also provides for reversing the direction of movement of. the ratcheted flange 18 it being apparent that when one of the plugs 17 is engaged with the socket the pawls will rotate the ratcheted flange in one direction, while'by rotating the headto present the other plug.l7 for engagement with the. socket the direction of the ratchet teeth 19 will be reversed. g

Extending longitudinally of the shank 10 pair of handle bars 33. of these bars 33 are enlarged and form offset heads 34, said heads being perforated for receiving a pivot pin 35 the inner end of.

I which is seated in a drilled socket 36 formed at one side of the slot 32. The opposite end of the pin 35 extends into an opening 37 which is of greater diameter than the socket by swinging the handle 36, said opening 37 being'formed through the shanklO at the other side of the slot 32. A screw-threaded locking plug 38 is fitted in the opening'37, and interposed between Isaid plu 38 and the next adjacent handle bar 33 1s a coiled spring 39 which presses the head34 of said bar 33 toward the head of the other bar 33. These heads are adapted to be interlocked. with each other, and to this endone of the same is provided with radial ribs 40 adapted to fit within-radial grooves 41 formed in the contiguous face of the other head. The spring 39 exerts its pressure to maintain the ribs 40 seated in said grooves. The foldedposition of thevhandle bars 33 is illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein they appear as within the slot 32; when it is desired to use the same they are moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, it being obvious that the sprin 39 will permit relative movement of the ars with 'respect to each other, and thereby permit the- I same either to be opened or closed.

The herein described wrench is designed for use with an assortment of sockets one of which is illustrated in Fig. 1 and designated by the numera1'42. The'latter is illustrated as applied 'to a nut 43. 'When using the wrench one ofthe actuating plugs .17 is introduced into the socket 42, and by rotating the shank 10, the pawls 20 being normally urged by the springs 24 into engagement with the ratcheted flange 18, the plug and socket will be rotated. This, of course, as-' sumes that the direction of rotation is such 100 that the abrupt faces 26 of the pawls 20 contact the teeth'19. On. the reverse rotation, however, of the shank the pawls 20 will ride over the teeth 19 and the socket 42 will remain stationary. If it be desired to re- 105 .verse the direction of rotation of the socket I 42 the wrench is removed-therefrom; the engagin head is rotated 180 in order to present t e other actuating plug 17 to the socket 42, and with the wrench now engaged withthe socket 42, and with the shank 10 now. ro tated in a reverse direction, the socket 42 will be rotated in the reverse direction.

By the construction described the shank 10 may stand inrelation to the engaging 1' head as in Fig. 1, in which position it"is in 'alinement therewith, or it may be swung at right angles thereto, or' it. may be moved at any position intermediate of the twodescribed, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In the position illustrated in Fig. 1 rotation of the I shank 10 will be more conveniently efl'ected v from the slot 32 and into the'position illus trated in Fig. 1. In doing this slight "pressure is exerted on the handle bars 33 to separate the heads '34 thereof, and when theyare moved to the desired positron the spring 39 will reassert itself, forcing the ribs- 40 of the one member into. the grooves bars 33outwardlyv I each other.

41 of the other, and thus inaintain the han-i dle bars at the'desired angle in 'relationto I claim:

1. A wrench of the class describedfc omprising a shank, a ratcheted engaging head.

pivotally mounted therein, vand a plurality.

of pawls carried by said shank for engaging I with the ratcheted head, said pawls forming v trunnions on which said'engagin'g head rotates to position the head for engagement with a socket under reverse directions of movement.

2. A wrench of the class described, comprisin a shank, a ratcheted engaging head I pivota ly mounted therein and provided with reversely arranged socket-engaging members, and a plurality of pawls carried by said shank for engagement with said ratcheted head, said pawls forming trunnions on which prising a shank provided at one end with.

a pair of parallel arms, a ratcheted engaging head arranged between said arms and provided with reversely arranged actuating plugs,and a' plurality of pawls carried by said arms and projecting inwardly therefrom for engagement with said ratcheted head, said pawls forming trunnions on: which a said engaging head rotates to position the head for engagement with a socket under reverse directions of movement.

5.. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided at one of its ends with a pair of parallel supporting arms, a ratcheted engaging head arranged be tween said arms, a plurality-of supporting blocks also arranged between'said arms and embracing said engaging head, and a plurality of pawls carried by said arms and projecting'through said supporting blocks for engagement with said ratcheted head,

' said pawls forming trunnions on which said engaging head rotates to position the head for engagement witha socket under reverse directions of movement.

6. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided at one of its ends with a pair of parallel supporting arms, a

ratcheted engaging head arranged between said arms, a plurality of pawls slidably .mounted in said arms and projecting inwardly therefrom into engagement with said ratcheted head, and means for normally forcing said pawls into said engagement,

said pawls forniingtrunnions on which said engaglng head rotates to posit on the head, for engagement wlth a socket under reverse directions of movement.

a '7. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided atone of its ends with a notch, an engaging head arranged in said notch, a ratchet carried by said head, and a plurality of pawls carried by said shank and projecting into 'said notch and into engagement with said ratchet, said pawls forming trunnions on which said en'- gaging head rotates to position the head for engagement ,with the socket under reverse directions of movement.

'8. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided at one of its ends with an opening, a ratcheted engaging head arranged in said opening, a pair of supporting blocks surrounding said ratcheted head and serving to maintain the latter within said opening, and a pair of inwardly extending pawls carried by said shank and projecting into said opening, the inner ends of said pawls being extended through said supporting blocks for engagement with said ratcheted head at opposite sides thereof, and means for nori'nally forcing both said pawls inwardly into such engagement.

9. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided at one of its ends with an opening, said shank having oppositely disposed chambers arranged adjacent to said opening and in communication therewith, a ratcheted engaging head arranged in said opening, slidable pawls mounted in said chambers and having their inner ends projected into said opening for engagement with said ratcheted head at opposite sides thereof, springs arranged in said openings for normally forcing said pawls inwardly and into engagement with said ratcheted head, and means for retaining said springs within said chambers.

10. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided at one of its ends with a notch, said shank being also provided at opposite sides of said notch with a plurality of chambers in communication with the notch, a ratcheted engaging head arranged in said notch, a plurality of inwardly extending pawls mounted in said chambers and having their inner ends projected into said notch for engagement with the ratcheted head, springs arran ed in said chambers and normally forcingt e pawls into engagement with said ratcheted head, and a closure plug arranged in each of said chambers for retaining the springs therein.

11. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided with an elongated slot, soclcet engaging means associated with said shank, a in extended across said slot, a pair of han 1e barsarranged in said slot and pivotally mounted on said pin for re1ative movement with respect to each other, and means for maintaining said handle bars in relative positions of adJustment.

12. A Wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided with an elongated slot, socket engaging means associated with said shank, a pair of handle bars concentrically pivoted within said slot for relative movement with respect to each other, means for frictionally maintaining said handle bars in relative positions of adjustment, and yielding means for holding said bars against displacement from adjusted position.

13. A wrench of the class described, comprising a shank provided with an elongated slot, socket engaging means associated with said shank, a pin extended across said slot, a pair of handle bars. arranged in said slot naeaass and capable of relative movement with respect to each other, the contiguous portions of said handle bars being enlarged toprovide heads, said heads being perforated for receiving said pin whereby to pivot said bars thereon, radial ribs carried by one of said bars, the 0 posing'face of the other bar i.

use,

my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MORTIMER J. FAIRGHILD. Witnesses:

HELEN WEHRLE,

R. D. HOLLEMBEAK. 

